Daily Recovery Readings for September 13, 2017:

Daily Reflection

REPAIRING THE DAMAGE

Good judgment, a careful sense of timing, courage and prudence – these are the qualities we shall need when we take Step Nine.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 83

To make amends can be viewed two ways: first, that of repairing damage, for if I have damaged my neighbor’s fence, I “make a mend,” and that is a direct amend; the second way is by modifying my behavior, for if my actions have harmed someone, I make a daily effort to cause no further harm. I “mend my ways,” and that is an indirect amend. Which is the best approach? The only right approach, provided that I am causing no further harm in so doing, is to do both. If harm is done, then I simply “mend my ways.” To take action in this manner assures me of making honest amends.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

We are careful never to show intolerance or hatred of drinking as an institution. Experience shows that such an attitude is not helpful to anyone. Every new alcoholic looks for this spirit among us and is immensely relieved when he finds we are not witch-burners. A spirit of intolerance might repel alcoholics whose lives could
have been saved, had it not been for such stupidity.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 103~

Keep It Simple

People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy.—Oliver Goldsmith

If we had to get well by ourselves, we’d be in trouble. We’ve already tried this route. We need to learn a new way to live, not the old way we already know. That’s why we have sponsors in Twelve Step programs.

Sponsors are one of the best things about our recovery. We pick people who are happy and doing well in recovery. Then we copy them. We copy them because sponsors are special people who have what we want. They have sobriety. They have happiness. They have common sense. They have peace and serenity. And they will help us get those things too. We learn a new way to live from them.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me pick good models. Help me copy what works for them.

Action for the Day:
If I don’t have a sponsor now, I’ll work today on getting one.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You might have more on your plate today than you can easily handle. Unfortunately, your current overload is, at least, partly due to jobs you didn’t finish previously. There’s no room for you to complain or blame others; your only option is to lean into your work and give it your best effort. Author Manoj Arora wrote, “Be like a duck, paddling and working very hard inside the water, but what everyone sees is a smiling and calm face.”s

Daily Recovery Readings for September 12, 2017:

Daily Reflection

I AM RESPONSIBLE

For the readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts, and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 87

In recovery, and through the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, I learn that the very thing I fear is my freedom. It comes from my tendency to recoil from taking responsibility for anything: I deny, I ignore, I blame, I avoid. Then one day, I look, I admit, I accept. The freedom, the healing and the recovery I experience is in the looking, admitting and accepting. I learn to say, “Yes, I am responsible.” When I can speak those words with honesty and sincerity, then I am free.

From the book Daily Reflections

Big Book Quote

“We are careful never to show intolerance or hatred of drinking as an institution. Experience shows that such an attitude is not helpful to anyone. Every new alcoholic looks for this spirit among us and is immensely relieved when he finds we are not witch-burners. A spirit of intolerance might repel alcoholics whose lives could have been saved, had it not been for such stupidity.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 103~

Keep It Simple

When angry, count to ten before you speak: if very angry, a hundred. —Thomas Jefferson

Sometimes we just want to yell. Maybe a family member or a friend messed up, and we want to “set them straight.” Start counting. Maybe we got chewed out at work and we want “to get even.” Start counting.

We get drunk on anger. We may feel powerful when we “set someone straight.” But like an alcohol high, an anger high last only a short time and can hurt others.

We must control our anger. This is why we count. Cool down. Think out what you need or want to say. Use words that you’ll not be ashamed of later. Learning how to respect others when we’re angry is a sign of recovery.

Prayer for the Day :
Higher Power, teach me to respect others when I’m angry.

Action for the Day:
Today, when I feel angry I’ll count. I’ll work at not controlling other with my anger.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You don’t need recognition for your hard work now; you know exactly what you bring to the party and aren’t worried about being acknowledged. However, those who have first-hand knowledge of your tenacity are pleased to shine the spotlight on you for a while. Nevertheless, receiving sweet rewards could also bring its own odd discomfort, but that’s no excuse to close down your heart. Inspirational author Scott Stabile wrote, “Vulnerability supported by love is perhaps the most powerful catalyst for real connection.”

Daily Recovery Readings for September 10, 2017:

Daily Reflection

MAKING AMENDS

Above all, we should try to be absolutely sure that we are not delaying because we are afraid.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 87

To have courage, to be unafraid, are gifts of my recovery. They empower me to ask for help and to go forth in making my amends with a sense of dignity and humility. Making amends may require a certain amount of honesty that I feel I lack, yet with the help of God and the wisdom of others, I can reach within and find the strength to act. My amends may be accepted, or they may not, but after they are completed I can walk with a sense of freedom and know that, for today, I am responsible.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

Imagine life without faith! Were nothing left but pure reason, it wouldnt be life.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 54~

Keep It Simple

This above all: To thine own self be true. —William Shakespeare

What does this saying mean: “To thine own self be true”? Hadn’t we thought only of ourselves before recovery? The answer is no. That wasn’t the real us. Each of us lost touch with our real self because of our addiction. We lost our goals, our feelings, our values. We chased the high. In this way, we lost our spirit. We became addicts.
With sobriety, we find ourselves again—and it feels great! We stop playing a role and become ourselves—and it’s wonderful. We follow our dreams and beliefs, not some addictive wild goose chase. We are again free to be ourselves. Thank you. Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day:
Today, I pray to be myself, to know all of me. I can trust myself because my spirit is good.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll pray: “thine own self be true.”

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may reach your emotional limit today, especially if you are spending a lot of time with your friends. You are quite sensitive to contradictory information yet you’re committed to sorting out useful facts from trivial data. Although you still want the benefit of good advice from those you trust, you also need to integrate current experiences before you open yourself up to feedback that makes you question recent choices. Honor your internal clock and only move forward at a speed that feels right to you.

Daily Recovery Readings for September 10, 2017:

Daily Reflection

RECOVERY BY PROXY?

They [the Promises] will always materialize if we work for them.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84

Sometimes I think: “Making these amends is going too far! No one should have to humble himself like that!” However, it is this very humbling of myself that brings me that much closer to the sunlight of the spirit. A.A. is the only hope I have if I am to continue healing and gain a life of happiness, friendship, and harmony.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Whether the family has spiritual convictions or not, they may do well to examine the principles by which the alcoholic member is trying to live. They can hardly fail to approve these simple principles, though the head of the house still fails somewhat in practicing them. Nothing will help the man who is off on a spiritual tangent so much as the wife who adopts a sane spiritual program, making a better practical use of it.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 130~

Keep It Simple

If you want a thing done “right,” you have to do it yourself.—Anonymous

We addicts can be very picky. We think there’s only one way to do things. It’s our way,
But we call it the right way. When we think like this, three things happen. First, we put
down other people. Second, we end up doing all the work. Third, everyone feels bad.
The other person feels hurt that we don’t respect him or her. And we feel angry
because we “had” to do all the work.

We need to know that there are many ways to do things. It’s okay when others don’t
do things our way. Their way probably works just fine for them. If they want your
advice they’ll ask for it.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me accept other people and their ways.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll watch how other people do things. Maybe I’ll learn a better way to do some things.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You are meticulous in your approach to solving a dilemma today; you’ll leave no stone unturned as you seek the best solution. Strong analytical skills empower you to ferret out problems, even if you thought they were handled a long time ago. However, you’re also pragmatic enough to call off the search the moment you discover a viable path to follow. Thomas Edison said, “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”

Daily Recovery Readings for September 9, 2017:

Daily Reflection

OPENING NEW DOORS

They [the Promises] are being fulfilled among us — sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84

The Promises talked about in this passage are slowly coming to life for me. What has given me hope is putting Step Nine into action. The Step has allowed me to see and set goals for myself in recovery.

Old habits and behaviors die hard. Working Step Nine enables me to close the door on the drunk I was, and to open new avenues for myself as a sober alcoholic. Making direct amends is crucial for me. As I repair relationships and behavior of the past, I am better able to live a sober life!

Although I have some years of sobriety, there are times when the “old stuff’ from the past needs to be taken care of, and Step Nine always works, when I work it.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Sometimes we hear an alcoholic say that the only thing he needs to do is to keep sober. Certainly he must keep sober, for there will be no home if he doesnt. But he is yet a long way from making good to the wife or parents whom for years he has so shockingly treated.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 82~

Keep It Simple

One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears—by listening to them.
—Dean Rusk

We hate being told what to think. We like to make up our own minds.
It helps to talk things out with another person who, listens to us.
Someone who care what we think.
We can give this respect to others. We can listen their point of view.
We can try to understand them and care about what they think.
When we do this, others start to care what we think too. We share ideas.
The ideas get a little more clear. They change a little. We get a little
closer to agreement. We both feel good.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me know when to listen and when to talk today. Work for me and though me. Thanks.

Action for the Day: Today, I’ll look for chances to listen to others when I really want to talk. I’ll say, “Tell me more about that.” And I’ll listen.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Relationships are no simple matter now, even if everything appears to be copacetic. You can tell that the story of your life is unfolding on two distinct levels. Interactions with those you love are passionate today, teaching you important lessons about your heart. However, there’s an entirely different dialogue occurring within your mind that’s questioning your shared experiences. Fortunately, there’s no need to decide which one is more real than the other; they both possess their own relevance. John Lennon said, “Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.”

Daily Recovery Readings for September 8, 2017:

Daily Reflection

We asked His protection and care with complete abandon. — ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 59

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 59

I could not manage my life alone. I had tried that road and failed. My “ultimate sin” dragged me down to the lowest level I have ever reached and, unable even to function, I accepted the fact that I desperately needed help. I stopped fighting and surrendered entirely to God.

Only then did I start growing! God forgave me. A Higher Power had to have saved me, because the doctors doubted that I would survive. I have forgiven myself now and I enjoy a freedom I have never before experienced. I’ve opened my heart and mind to Him. The more I learn, the less I know — a humbling fact — but I sincerely want to keep growing. I enjoy serenity, but only when I entrust my life totally to God. As long as I am honest with myself and ask for His help, I can maintain this rewarding existence.

Just for today, I strive to live His will for me — soberly.
I thank God that today I can choose not to drink.
Today, life is beautiful!

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a spiritual basis are not always easy alternatives to face.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, Page 44~

Keep It Simple

I have an intense desire to return to the womb—Anybody’s ! —Woody Allen

Some days the world just doesn’t seem safe. Maybe a friend died and you are hurting. Maybe you argued with a loved one. You just want somebody to take care of you. You want to feel safe and warm.

Turn to the spiritual part of the program. Let your Higher Power hold you with warm, loving care. Pray. Pray to feel the programs will find you. Why? Because you’ve opened your heart to recovery. To be loved, you have to open up to love.

Prayer for the Day: I pray for an open heart. I pray that love of the program will find me and comfort me. Higher Power, I need Your love as a child needs the love of parents.

Action for the Day: Today, I’ll list three times the world has felt unsafe. I’ll meditate on how things would have been different if I had turned to my Higher Power for comfort.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You’re not afraid to take a risk today but may later discover that you stepped on a hornet’s nest. You might inadvertently do something that hurts someone’s feelings and rather than telling you, they could throw a temper tantrum. Two can play this game; however, you may be more self-controlled than everyone else now. Keep in mind that expressing an emotion and then letting it go is healthier than just burying it deeper in denial. No one can fault you for being your authentic self.

Daily Recovery Readings for September 7, 2017:

Daily Reflection

“OUR SIDE OF THE STREET”

We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do. His faults are not discussed. We stick to our own.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 77-78

I made amends to my dad soon after I quit drinking. My words fell on deaf ears since I had blamed him for my troubles. Several months later I made amends to my dad again. This time I wrote a letter in which I did not blame him nor mention his faults. It worked, and at last, I understood! My side of the street is all that I’m responsible for and — thanks to God and A.A. — it’s clean for today.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“…the actual or potential alcoholic, with hardly an exception, will be absolutely unable to stop drinking on the basis of self knowledge. This is a point we wish to emphasize and re emphasize, to smash home upon our alcoholic readers as it has been revealed to us out of bitter experience.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 39~

Keep It Simple

A lair needs a good memory. — Quintilian

Many of us wasted a lot of energy trying to keep track of whom we had told what. For example, we’d tell our boss one story and our family another. Then we’d work hard to make sure they never met. How wonderful to be done with that way of life! We now have a life based on honesty. We can now be ourselves where we go. Our program tells us that to get sober, we must live a life of strict honesty. Honesty is our rule to get and stay sober. Life is much more simple this way. We can relax and think of the happy details of life.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me to live honestly. Being honest brings me closer to You. Help me become closer to You.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll read the first three pages of Chapter Five in Alcoholics Anonymous (Third Edition). Here, I’ll learn why honesty is so important to my recovery.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You understand the importance of initiating action, yet you may be concerned that you’re reacting too quickly. The truth is you might not get as much finished in the long run if you throw caution to the wind today. Nevertheless, you could err on the other side of the equation and let a wonderful opportunity pass without seizing it. Obviously, your secret sauce du jour can’t be too hot or too cool. Everything will eventually turn out in your favor if you can figure out what is “just right.” Just like Goldilocks, you too can find the sweet spot if you’re persistent.

Daily Recovery Readings for September 6, 2017:

Daily Reflection

REMOVING THREATS TO SOBRIETY

. . . except when to do so would injure them or others.
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 59

Step Nine restores in me a feeling of belonging, not only to the human race but also to the everyday world. First, the Step makes me leave the safety of A.A., so that I may deal with non-A.A. people “out there,” on their terms, not mine. It is a frightening but necessary action if I am to get back into life. Second, Step Nine allows me to remove threats to my sobriety by healing past relationships. Step Nine points the way to a more serene sobriety by letting me clear away past wreckage, lest it bring me down.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

It works – it really does.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 88~

Keep It Simple

Addiction is answering the spiritual calling inside us by going to the wrong address. —Chris Ringer

Where can we go to feel better, to feel spiritually alive? Not to alcohol or other drugs. Not to compulsive spending, gambling, or sex. Not to overeating or overworking. When we turn to these things to feel better, we’re trading one addiction for another, we’re going to the “wrong address.”

What is the right address? Our inner needs. Our Higher Power. Our recovery program. Our friends. Soon, we become part of a network of “safe addresses.”

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, keep me on the right path. I don’t want to go to the wrong address anymore.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll make sure I have at least three “right address” in my wallet or purse. I’ll list names and day and evening phone numbers of people who will love and help.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You’re being asked to reach further than ever in your quest for meaning. But exploring new possibilities at home or at work doesn’t negate your need for emotional security. Nevertheless, the Pisces Full Moon brings magic to your 9th House of Distant Horizons, urging you to extend your vision beyond your mundane concerns. There’s no reason to resist the temptation to fantasize about things you never thought possible. Thankfully, you’re not required to act on every dream; however, imagining your life without the restraints of reality could open doors that previously remained closed.

Daily Recovery Readings for September 5, 2017:

Daily Reflection

EMOTIONAL BALANCE

Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, . . .

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 83

When I survey my drinking days, I recall many people whom my life touched casually, but whose days I troubled through my anger and sarcasm. These people are untraceable, and direct amends to them are not possible. The only amends I can make to those untraceable individuals, the only “changes for the better” I can offer, are indirect amends made to other people, whose paths briefly cross mine. Courtesy and kindness, regularly practiced, help me to live in emotional balance, at peace with myself.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

Psychologists are inclined to agree with us. We have spent thousands of dollars for examinations. We know but few instances where we have given these doctors a fair break. We have seldom told them the whole truth nor have we followed their advice. Unwilling to be honest with these sympathetic men, we were honest with no one else. Small wonder many in the medical profession have a low opinion of alcoholics and their chance for recovery.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 73~

Keep It Simple

I have never seen a greater monster or miracle than myself.—-Montaigne

We know we’ve hurt people. We’ve heard our family cry out from pain we’ve caused them. Because of alcohol and other drugs, we acted like monsters.

But we now live surrounded with love. We now work to make this world better. Recovery is a miracle. The rebirth of our spirit is our miracle.

It’s no wonder we love life the way we do! We’ve been given a second chance. Our joy is overflowing. Our Higher Power must love us very much.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me with the monster that lives within me. I pray it will never again be let out.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll see myself as a miracle. I’ll be grateful for my new life.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

A recent bout with self-doubt has brought you into new territory. Although you’re unsure about what stretches out in front of you, you’re certain that there’s no way to return to your old familiar ground. Oddly enough, your worry about facing the unknown is tempered with a dose of excitement now. Don’t try to resolve all the tension; instead channel your current stress into your work where it will have the greatest positive impact. Author Mark Danielewski wrote, “Maturity, one discovers, has everything to do with the acceptance of not knowing.”

Daily Recovery Readings for September 4, 2017:

Daily Reflection

RECONSTRUCTION

Yes, there is a long period of reconstruction ahead. . . .— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 83

The reconstruction of my life is the prime goal in my recovery as I avoid taking that first drink, one day at a time. The task is most successfully accomplished by working the Steps of our Fellowship. The spiritual life is not a theory; it works, but I have to live it. Step Two started me on my journey to develop a spiritual life; Step Nine allows me to move into the final phase of the initial Steps which taught me how to live a spiritual life. Without the guidance and strength of a Higher Power, it would be impossible to proceed through the various stages of reconstruction. I realize that God works for me and through me. Proof comes to me when I realize that God did for me what I could not do for myself, by removing that gnawing compulsion to drink. I must continue daily to seek God’s guidance. He grants me a daily reprieve and will provide the power I need for reconstruction.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

Both you and the new man must walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress. If you persist, remarkable things will happen.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 100~

Keep It Simple

In my view, we of this world are pupils in great school of life.  ~ Bill W.

Our addiction has taught me much. It has taught us how far we can get from ourselves, our Higher Power, and those who love us.. Hopefully, we’ve learned we can’t go it alone. Do I allow myself to learn from the bad things that happened?

Recovery has much to teach us too. We need to be students of life. We need to be open to learning. Our spirits can grow if we’re willing to do three things: First, we listen. Second, we think about what we’ve learned. Third, we turn what we’ve learned into action. Listening, combined with thought and action, will help us learn life’s best lessons.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, You’ll test me so I can learn. Help me accept the tasks You give me. And help me learn from them.

Action for the Day:
I will view today as a class. I will do three things—listen, think, act.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may be visibly relieved when you accept the fact that you’re not required to know everything about everything. Fortunately, there is plenty of valuable information at your disposal today, and it’s up to you to put it to good use. However, discerning the truth is a complicated task now. Instead of trying to play the role of gatekeeper, just remain open to the data you receive. Reality will sort itself out as long as your intentions remain honorable.